THE WATER -SPOUT FLOODS THE SHIP. 215 



excitement had dispelled all sea-sickness, and when it 

 became dark every one sought his berth, and soon 

 all was tranquil. 



I had not been long asleep when loud orders and 

 cries of alarm on deck awoke me suddenly. Imme- 

 diately afterwards the ship laid itself on its side in a 

 manner I have never since experienced, and can even 

 now scarcely consider possible. People were thrown 

 from their beds and rolled on the steeply inclined 

 floor of the large cabin into the opposite cabins. 

 They were followed by everything moveable on the 

 ship, and at the same time all the lights were ex- 

 tinguished, as the hanging lamps were hurled against 

 the cabin deck and shattered. Then followed after a 

 brief anxious pause a recoil, and a few repetitions of 

 nearly the same intensity. Immediately after the first 

 shocks I succeeded in gaining the deck. I descried 

 in the half-light the captain, who in answer to my call 

 only pointed to the stern, exclaiming "voila la terre!". 

 Indeed a high rocky wall, feebly shining in the dark- 

 ness, seemed to be standing behind the ship. On 

 seeing it, the captain had suddenly brought the ship 

 round, and thereby caused the violent oscillations. 

 He thought we must have drifted, and were close on 

 the rocks of Cap des lions. Suddenly a voice called 

 in the darkness "La terre avance!", and actually the 

 high uncanny gleaming wall now rose close behind 

 the ship, and was advancing with a strange roaring 

 voice. Then came a moment so awful and overpowering 

 that it baffles description. Tremendous floods, which 



